


The Blame Game

by ShadowReaper_912



Category: Just Roll With It (Podcast)
Genre: Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 16:55:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24280186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowReaper_912/pseuds/ShadowReaper_912
Summary: Br’aad makes a few realisations.Heavy arc 1 spoilers, mostly episode 19. You know why.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 28





	The Blame Game

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Ti for giving this prompt.

It had pained the Tabaxi to run into this scene. His mouth worked on it’s own, spitting out the name of the disheveled half elf weakly as he came to a complete stop. 

  
Taxi barely noticed as Velrisa ran past him, falling to her knees just behind the man and placing a hand on her shoulder. Each distressed plea from the man felt like a needle through his heart, and Taxi couldn’t do anything but watch as their Tiefling friend tried and failed to show Br’aad that the man on the ground was well and truly dead.

With each spell she tried, he would shake his head when the result was the same, demanding that she cast another. It repeated like this, over and over, until Br’aad seemed to come to the realisation that was blatantly obvious to the large crowd. His brother was dead. Sylnan was dead. 

Br’aad lowered himself onto his brother’s chest, longing to hear that familiar thudding. He almost sobbed at its absence. That dull ticking filled his head once more, and he was slightly ashamed at the hope that jumped through his being at the thought that maybe-  _ just maybe _ \- Sylnan’s heart had miraculously started again.

After what had happened in the tunnels though, the familiar ticking set something off within him. At first, it slowly ate away his sorrow until he felt as if the still form beneath him was anything other than his dead brother. The hole left by his misery began to fill with anger. Red hot fury that he could almost  _ feel  _ pulsing beneath his skin, through every fibre of his being. 

Reflecting over the past few weeks, Br’aad began to realise something. If he hadn’t come back on that boat, if he had just  _ stayed away _ , kept Sylnan away from his issues, the half elf would probably still be alive. 

Movement from the corner of his eye caused Br’aad to turn his head, locking eyes with the Tabaxi. It reminded him of the first time they had met- on that boat- he suddenly understood. 

All this time, he had blamed himself for this tragic loss, but if he’d never met that man, the one who was insistent on finding that missing Tiefling, then they wouldn’t have gotten involved in the Wharfs mess. 

Taxi watched emotions flickering through Br’aads eyes, moving between sadness and anger, before settling on something that unnerved the Tabaxi. A scowl that didn’t quite seem to fit the half elf’s face appeared, seemingly directed at him. He glanced behind him only to see no one there, and he hesitantly turned back to his new friend. 

In the time Taxi had taken to look away, Br’aad had risen to his feet. Both arms dangled limply at his sides, and his breaths seemed to be much heavier than before. 

Taking a few lumbering steps forward, Br’aad stilled once he was right in front of Taxi. He glared up, cold purple eyes meeting concerned green. 

“It’s all your fault.” His words were quiet, but Taxi heard them with ease. He stuttered for a moment, trying to communicate his confusion to the shorter man. A light, yet angry punch to the centre of his chest effectively shut him up. 

“Shut up! It’s because of you! It’s your fault, all your fault- I never should’ve helped you, never should’ve trusted you. I- It’s your fault…” Br’aad’s rambling was cut off when Taxi grasped at his shoulders, squeezing gently. 

“Br’aad,  _ please,  _ listen to me. It’s not anyone’s fault that Sylnan’s…  _ gone,  _ but please, just be rational about this-”

“I wish I’d never met you!” Taxi could feel the strain of Br’aad’s arms beneath his hands, the purple winding around clenched fists almost seemed to glow as tears streamed down his face. 

Taxi’s grip became lax at the shouted declaration, feeling tears of his own beginning to form. Of course he knew that Br’aad was emotional right now, but the words still stung- more than he could describe. 

“Br’aad, I- I… What?”

“I… You heard me! If I’d never met you, t- then maybe, just  _ maybe _ , Sylnan would still be alive! This is your fault!” Each word was accentuated with a finger prodding the centre of his chest- the same place as the weak punch. 

“Come on now, Br’aad- you don’t know what you’re saying.” He was trying to reason with the other. His own arms had fallen back to his sides, making no move to stop the prodding. 

“You know what Taxi, I think this is the first time since we’ve met that I’ve been able to think clearly, and I meant every word.” Br’aads poking stopped. Taking a few steps backwards and turning around, he slung the still body over his shoulder. 

“I wish I’d never met you, Taxi. I never want to see you and your stupid tail ever again. If I do? Let’s just say that, what happened to Sylnan would seem like a luxury.” 

Taxi watched as his form retreated, disappearing into the darkness of a nearby alleyway. Hilltree looked at Taxi, his face distraught as he quickly ran after the brothers. 

“Vel… Do you think it was really my fault?” He fidgeted, twisting his fingers together as he stared at the small puddle of blood where Sylnan had been laid. 

He wasn’t sure whether the lack of an answer was a relief or not. 


End file.
